Concept II

To perform peer coaching there is the need of the group members to take in different roles. In this peer coaching model there are two roles: peer coaching facilitator and working group. A minimum group size of 5 people is necessary. In the beginning a more experienced person from another peer coaching group can observe and give feedback to the group.

For these steps different roles need to be assigned:

Group size and roles

Role: peer coaching group

The peer coaching group brainstorms on the core problems that the group has to face in its workplace or their everyday work. After the start the peer coaching group is devided in a working group and one peer coaching facilitator. In the feedback part of the peer coaching concept, they are in the whole peer coaching group again.

Role: working group

The working group is on the one hand the one hand the ones answering the questions of the peer coaching facilitator but different from the peer coaching model I they also search together for solutions. Each of the group members is expert on the problem, but there might be different views, ideas, different ways of concentration of a specific part of the problem.

Role: peer coaching facilitator

The peer coaching facilitator takes the role that a professional coach would take in a group coaching. He asks questions, keeps the time and the process going. The peer coaching facilitator may not give advice. This role could be supported by an e-peer coaching tool to facilitate unexperienced peer coaching facilitators and the whole peer coaching group.

The idea behind peer coaching is that in every coaching-session in the peer coaching process the roles change. Everyone in the peer coaching group can take in the role of the peer coaching facilitator. This will be supported by training on peer coaching. For better organization of the group and to introduce possible new members on a later state it can be helpful to have a person in the group who acts as group contact member. This group contact moderates the peer coaching process in the non-coaching-session parts of the initial and the final phase (start and feedback). In general the whole group is responsible for good working processes. The group also should decide together on any changes or new participants.

Rules for peer coaching

1. The members in the group commit themselves to keep the confidential information in the group.

2. The members of the group commit themselves to take part actively.

3. The members of the group commit themselves to have a respectful attitude towards the other members and themselves.

The group can also set up their own (additional) rules.

Structure of peer coaching

In the following chapter the structure of the coaching-session in the peer coaching process will be described in detail.

Start of peer coaching

The contact person of the group welcomes everybody, problems of group members are collected, a selection of problems for what is urgent and a plan of time is done. Afterwards roles for the peer coaching session(s) need to be assigned (working group and peer coaching facilitator). This should take no more than 5 minutes.

Problem & Situation

Now the peer coaching facilitator takes over the process: The peer coaching facilitator asks the working group about the problem. The working group listens to each other and can make notes (if necessary). They observe mimic, gestures, posture and how the client behaves. They also think of what they feel themselves about the problem and what connotations and mental pictures come to their mind by listening to the other working group members.

This should not take more than 10 minutes. And in the end there needs to be a clear definition of the problem in one sentence and with “We” in the beginning.

Example for a possible problem could be:

“We are facing uncertainties.”

Possible Questions of peer coaching facilitator:

“What is your problem about?

What makes it a problem?

Who else is part of the problem?

What did you already try to solve the problem?

Please, could you put your problem in one short and clear sentence?”

Vision, resources

The peer coaching facilitator asks of the last time the working group felt enthusiastic about something and helps the working group to visualize the feelings, thoughts, strengths and resources of that moment. This can be a group vision or an individual vision.

Example for possible questions concerning the above named problem:

“Imagine the last time everything was clear. Tasks, challenges, rules. When was that? How did it feel? What were you thinking? Where did you feel it? Can you express your feelings when you were completely into your spare time through a certain posture, mimic, gestic? What were your strengths then? What strengths do you have and what do you need?”

The strengths can be written down and/or illustrated by the working group or one single member of the working group for a better vizualisation. A helpful tool to support this process could be the resource wheel, mind-map, tree (see below).

More topic open questions could be:

“Imagine the problem is already solved. Everything is fine and you archived your goals. Can you imagine a scenario where you have been successful? How does it feel? Where do you feel it (in your body)? Describe your feelings, thoughts, behavior? Could you show me how you look, when you archived your goal?”

Every working group members adds their ideas on which strengths and resources that are still needed or which strengths they feel are still hidden beyond. They are asked by the peer coaching facilitator if there are supporting systems like colleagues, superior, friends, other persons, rituals, culture, etc.. The working group can comment on that later on and pick strengths and resources that might be helpful for solving the problem. The peer coaching facilitator also keeps time in this setting. The working group writes down the given information.

This may take up to 10 minutes.

Setting goals

In this phase the peer coaching facilitator asks the working group what they want to achieve now. The working group formulates a specific goal. The peer coaching facilitator moderates the process if necessary.

Example for possible questions concerning the above named problem:

“Now we have looked at your strengths and resources. What is your goal you want to achieve? Think of a goal that is precise and tell us, then give your advisers an order on what you want them to brainstorm on.”

Possible goal could be: “We want something to relax us when facing uncertainties.” OR “We want a better way to face the problem together.”

This may take up to 5 minutes.

Solution & next steps

The possible solutions collected by the group can be written down on a flipchart or else (in e-intervision tool on a whiteboard). Important is to note everything, even if it sounds unrealistic at first. The peer coaching facilitator asks afterwards which solution(s) is/are the most fitting to the working group. The working group can mark the most helpful ones and take at least one step in the next 36 hours. The peer coaching facilitator asks the working group how he will take responsibility on going the first step(s). This may take up to 15 minutes.

Feedback

Everybody of the peer coaching group starting with the working group members explain what they learned for themselves in the process. Afterwards the session is closed and another session can be started. This may take up to 5 minutes.

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